Turkey agrees to open its airspace

Turkey today said it had agreed to allow US Air Force transport planes to use its airspace and airports for a possible response to the attack on the World Trade Centre.

It was also willing to share intelligence on Afghanistan with the US, the office of the country’s Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said.

A statement said the US, a close ally, had requested the use of airports and air space for transport planes.

However, the US did not ask permission to use fighter jets.

Turkey has already indicated that Incirlik air base, in the south of the country, could be used for possible attacks.

Some 50 US and British jets, based at Incirlik, are currently on patrol over Northern Iraq to protect Iraqi Kurds from the forces of Saddam Hussein.